Filtration is a technique used to remove solid impurities from a liquid or solution, or to collect a solid or adsorbable product from a solution. Two somewhat different kinds of filtration in general use are gravity filtration and vacuum (or suction) filtration.
Gravity filtration relies upon the force of gravity to draw a filtrate though a filter. Vacuum filtration utilizes a vacuum to draw a filtrate through a filter and is therefore quicker than gravity filtration.
Procedures involving both gravity filtration and vacuum filtration are labor intensive because filter elements such as filter papers must be manually positioned beneath or at the bottom of filter wells for each filtration procedure. When a large number of samples are to be filtered, each requires a separate filter element which must be handled by a technician.
The present invention provides for an improved filtration apparatus which automatically dispenses filter elements at a filtration station.